Zinwave antenna brightens indoor 3G

Distributed wireless kit from Zinwave allows firms to site antennas up to 500m from base stations

Distributed antenna system (DAS) specialist Zinwave has released additions to its 2700 series products, comprising the 2776, 2777 and 2778 service specific antenna units, to help firms roll out in-building 2G and 3G services. The 2777 and 2778 DAS are used to receive signals from European GSM and 3G transmitters, while the 2776 is for the US market.

Zinwave's technology connects remotely attached antenna units, which are designed to receive particular wireless services such as Wi-Fi, GSM or 3G, to a firm's existing optical fibre infrastructure. Zinwave said the advantage of using its proprietary kit is that its system can carry signals over distances of up to around half a kilometre using existing multi-mode optical fibre, before the signal attenuates. Zinwave's President and chief executive, Mike Baker, pointed out that the majority of firms have multi-mode fibre, but with current technology, signal attenuation typically occurs at around 50 metres - a tenth of the distance Zinwave claims to offer. Baker said this distance limitation normally requires firms to put in dedicated single mode fibre, which is significantly more expensive.

Baker also pointed out that if firms require lots of different wireless services in large buildings, they could end up requiring a large number of base stations. "With our system, you put one base station in the IT room and use our DAS to enable services throughout the rest of the building," he explained.

ABI Research analyst Dan Shey recently estimated that the market for DAS technology would be worth nearly $3bn by 2010.